[MR] Advice to newcomers

[McKenna]

> at least I'd like to know, what took letting her let you come back to the
> SCA, and did she ever come back?  Were those miscreants ever caught?
>
> Miriel

This occured in Meridies where I was stationed in the USAF.  In a masterful 
piece of inauspicious timing she had just finished telling HRM Beorn that I 
had finally talked her into trying an event, and she had been pleasantly 
surprised by the day.  Pffft, went that. The a**holes hightailed it off the 
site unsuccessfully pursued by some outraged knights.  I was later told that 
the King of Ansteorra (where they resided) had apoligized to HRM, but 
nothing was ever said to me or her. Of course, at the time, Beorn, and I, 
and others tried to assuage her outrage, but she wasn't buyin' it.  Her 
preconception had been absolutely confirmed.  Any mention of the SCA would 
bring on a vituperative essay, to which, "They're not all like that." truly 
seemed a weak counter.

After some years, we ended up in Axemoor and I was able to introduce her to 
Duke Cariadoc, who managed to charm her sufficiently to let her give it a 
second (grudging) chance.  That lasted briefly until a move to New England. 
I did SCA occaisionally, always accompanied by snarking. Eventually, in the 
90s, we both went back to college for a career change and I began to monitor 
and later post to the Rialto.  Virtual SCA.  In time I began to want to get 
back with SCA friends and attended some events and Pennsic (alone).  Shortly 
after we divorced.  The SCA was not a prime reason, but it was a reason.

I certainly don't miss her.  And my present wife and I met on-line through 
the Rialto and we've been married 9 very happy years.  But one event cost me 
big.  To this day, only my eldest daughter does SCA, her sister shares the 
opinion of her mother.  Since that time I have scant symapthy for jerks 
whose stunted egos lead them to want to aggrandize themselves as hired 
killers.  Let 'em go join Amtgard or Adria or NERO.  I feel just as much 
revulsion for these "pretend" killers as I do for Aonghais Dubh.

Regards,

McKenna